District Resource Guide - Polk County School District

Training for Athletic Booster Organizations
The School Principal is charged with the responsibility of operating a successful school including
operational matters related to finances. As such, the principal must be knowledgeable of and
involved in, to the extent necessary, financial matters of school-affiliated organizations. It is
expected that principals and the officers and members of school-affiliated organizations will
work cooperatively to achieve the mission, vision and goals of the school and the School Board.
For this to occur, the principal shall be given authority to set guidelines for any and all
organizations that wish to be affiliated with the school. The public is often unaware of the
difference between the school itself and its affiliated organizations. To this end, the principal
must be knowledgeable of the actions of any groups operating on behalf of the school. There
should be a clear distinction between funds that are to be deposited into Internal Accounts as
opposed to those that will be deposited into and accounted for through outside organizations.
• Florida High School Athletic Association Bylaws, Article 7-7.1.2 says “All phases of
interscholastic athletic activities within a member school, including the activities of booster
clubs, parent groups, etc. shall be under the principal’s supervision.
• Internal Accounts policy 1.001 (9) states that all organizations connected with or operating
in the name of the school, which obtain monies from the public, shall be accountable to the
School Board.
• Internal Accounts policy Appendix D, Item E-2 states that all such organizations may be
subject to an audit by the School Board’s Internal Auditor.
• Obtain unique Federal tax identification number for organization from IRS, required per
Internal Accounts policy Appendix D, Item E-3.
• Obtain unique sales tax exemption certificate from for organization from State of FL,
required per Internal Accounts policy Appendix D, Item E-3.
(needed if more than two fundraisers held each year).
• All funds handled by school board employees during normal working hours shall be included
in and become part of the internal funds of the school- Internal Accounts Policy 1.001 (8)
• No school employee is allowed to be a signer on an external bank account. Internal
Accounts policy 1.001 (9)
• Fundraising Activity Approval Form (Form 828 and Financial Report for Fundraising Activity
(Form 829) –must be prepared and approved by the Principal for every fund raising activity
for school and outside organizations – Internal Accounts Manual Appendix D E (1) (Note:
Financial Report only recommended, not required of outside organizations)
• Outside Organizations- Principal needs to be aware of existence of all outside organizations
and see that they submit and Annual Financial Report at the end of each school year. Only
those organizations with a slate of elected officers can have outside bank accounts.
Organization must have its own Federal Tax Identification Number – NOT PERMITTED TO
USE THE DISTRICTS TIN. Also, must have its own Florida Sales Tax Exemption number. No
School Board employee may be a signer on an outside checking account connected with his